VOA常速英语:Drought Aid for Ethiopia

During a recent visit to the Afar region United States Ambassador to Ethiopia Patricia Haslach had an opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of U.S. government-supported response to the severe drought affecting much of Ethiopia.
在最近一次对阿法尔地区的访问中，美国驻埃塞俄比亚大使帕特丽夏·哈斯拉赫有机会评估了由美国政府支持的应对措施的效率，该应对措施旨在解决影响埃塞俄比亚多地的严重干旱问题。

Ambassador Haslach and Ethiopia’s Minister of Tourism and Culture Aisha Mohammed, first visited a rural school in Mille Woreda district that receives nutritional support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.The McGovern-Dole School Feeding Program, as it is formally known,provides a nutritious mid-morning meal to 91,000 primary-aged students in Afar, who often arrive to school hungry.This regular meal promotes increased attendance and leads to improved academic performance.
哈斯拉赫大使与埃塞俄比亚旅游和文化部长阿伊莎·穆罕默德一起，首先拜访了米勒县级区的一所农村学校，这所学校收到了来自美国农业部的营养品资助。这项资助的正式名称是“麦戈文-多尔学校供餐计划”，为阿法尔地区91000名小学生提供有营养的午餐，在这之前这些学生都要忍着饥饿来上学。这一规律的膳食提供项目使更多的学生去上学，同时还提高了他们的学习成绩。

The Ambassador later visited a USAID-supported water rehabilitation project serving 300 households in Mille Woreda.The project, which has been replicated in various regions around the country,helped revitalize an unused water source with the installation of a gasoline-run generator and piping systems, construction of a reservoir, tap stand, and cattle trough. Now, this small community has access to safe, clean water and doesn’t need to relocate.
大使随后还拜访了一个由美国国际开发署支持的水环境综合治理工程，这项工程服务了米勒县级区300户人家。这项工程已在埃塞俄比亚全国多个地区开展，通过安装一个汽油发电机和一套管道系统，建设一个水库、一个自来水站和一个牲口用的水槽，使得一个未经使用的水资源重获新生。现在，这个小社区可以获得安全、干净的水源，并且不需要搬迁。

Finally, Ambassador Haslach visited an Emergency Operation Center in the regional capital of Semera to discuss the response of federal and regional authorities, and their international partners, to the drought, and the more recent flooding, in Afar.
最后，哈斯拉赫大使还拜访了位于该地区首府Semera的一家急救手术中心，在这里大使就阿法尔地区的干旱和最近的洪涝等问题，和他们的国际合作伙伴们一起讨论了联邦和地方当局的回应。

Ambassador Haslach met with Seyoum Awe, the Regional President of Afar, to discuss U.S. response to the drought and current conditions.She also emphasized the importance of both the private sector and non-traditional partners in developing the water supply sector.
哈斯拉赫大使和阿法尔地区主席塞尤姆·阿伟举行了会晤，他们讨论了美国对该地区干旱和目前环境的回应。在供水部门发展方面，哈斯拉维大使强调了私人部门和非传统合作伙伴等两方面的重要性。

The United States is proud to partner with Ethiopia to mitigate the impact of the drought. Nonetheless, the next several months will be difficult.The rains have come, but it takes time from rain to grain. After several failed growing seasons, millions will be wholly dependent upon food assistance until the autumn harvest. Health resources will also be stretched, as vulnerability to diseases increases when people are in a weakened state.
美国很自豪能够和埃塞俄比亚一起合作，以缓解干旱带来的影响。尽管如此，接下来的几个月将会非常困难。降雨已经到来，但是等到粮食生长还要花上一段时间。由于前几个播种季节的不利条件，直到秋季收获之前，数百万人将会完全依靠粮食救助。卫生健康资源也会很紧张，因为当人们处于饥饿状态时，就会变得更易得病。

Ethiopia has done a commendable job in weathering this drought so far. Development gains have provided the country with greater resilience than ever, and the Government and international community reacted quickly and robustly.However, there is still some ways to go before victory can be declared.
迄今为止，在减轻这场干旱的影响方面，埃塞俄比亚做了很多值得称道的工作。发展的收益使得这个国家的恢复力比以往任何时候都要强，而且埃塞俄比亚政府和国际社会的反应非常迅速，而且有力。但是在取得胜利之前，还有一些工作需要做。